Free tool
ASiC-E reader online: how to open an .asice container and sign it
ASiC-E (Associated Signature Container Extended) is the European container for signed documents: a single .asice file packs the documents and their electronic signatures. Received one (or a .bdoc, .sce, .asics or .edoc) that will not open? Load it into the viewer below.
Open an .asice, .bdoc or .edoc file in your browser
Free and without registration: the tool shows the documents in the container and the number of signatures, previews PDFs and lets you download the files. It opens .asice, .sce, .bdoc, .asics and .edoc.
The file is processed in your browser and is not sent anywhere. The viewer shows the content and the number of signatures; one click on "Check the signature" verifies whether they are valid, sending the file to the Tvarka signature checker (up to 10 MB, the file is never stored). "Download transcript (PDF)" also sends the file to Tvarka to generate the transcript.
What is ASiC-E?
It is a container standardized by ETSI (EN 319 162) and recognized under the eIDAS Regulation across the European Union. Technically, an .asice file is a ZIP archive that stores XAdES signatures alongside the documents. Estonian .asice/.bdoc archives use the same principle; you will encounter the format on Dokobit and other Baltic signing platforms.
When to choose it: when you sign with partners abroad, when one signed container needs to hold several files, or when the recipient is not a Lithuanian institution – then ASiC-E is more convenient than ADOC.
How to open an .asice, .bdoc or .edoc file?
A regular document application will not open the container, because it is a ZIP archive with a fixed structure. Your options:
- On this page – load the file into the viewer above. It shows the documents and the number of signatures, and previews PDFs, images and text right away. Everything happens in your browser; the file is not sent anywhere. It opens .asice, .sce, the Estonian .bdoc, the Latvian .edoc and the single-document .asics.
- Through a signing service – Tvarka Sign opens a received container, shows the content and the signatures, and lets you sign it further.
- Manually – rename the file to .zip and you will see the files in the archive, but you cannot verify signature validity that way, and changing the content will break the container.
ADOC and ASiC-E – what is the difference?
| ADOC | ASiC-E | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Lithuanian specification (2009) | European standard (ETSI) |
| Who it is submitted to | Lithuanian public institutions | Businesses, international recipients |
| Several files inside | Yes | Yes |
| Legal force of the signature | Both can carry a qualified electronic signature (QES) under eIDAS | |
How to create and sign an ASiC-E?
- You open the Tvarka ASiC-E wizard and upload the files.
- The wizard builds the .asice container.
- You sign with a QES: Smart-ID, Mobile-ID, LT ID, a USB/eID card, or by tapping your ID card on your phone (NFC).
- You download the signed container or invite others to sign.
The wizard is free. Signing with the Lithuanian ID card is free too: 10 qualified signatures a month with no monthly fee of any kind, ASiC-E containers included. Smart-ID, Mobile-ID and LT ID signatures follow the pricing. Pay for what you use. No subscriptions. If you received an .asice container, Tvarka opens it and shows the content and the signatures.
Frequently asked questions
Are .bdoc and .edoc the same as .asice?
Essentially yes. .bdoc is the ASiC-E profile used in Estonia, .edoc is the container of the same design used in Latvia, .sce is the standard's own synonym for the .asice extension, and .asics is the single-document ASiC-S container. The viewer opens all of them.
Where does the file go when I load it into the viewer?
Nowhere. The viewer runs in your browser and the file is not sent to Tvarka's servers. The one exception is the "Check the signature" button, which deliberately sends the file to the signature checker; there it is checked and deleted immediately.
How do I get a PDF transcript of an .asice container?
Load the container into the viewer and click "Download transcript (PDF)": you get a PDF with a signature sheet (who signed, when, whether each signature is valid and qualified) and the document itself, ready to print or forward to anyone who cannot open the container. Free, the file is never stored.
Received an .asice from the State Tax Inspectorate (VMI), Sodra or a bank?
Load it into the viewer at the top of this page: you see the document and who signed, and the "Check the signature" button confirms that the signatures are valid. You can sign your reply inside the same container in Tvarka Sign, with the existing signatures intact.
Can I sign an .asice container I received?
Yes. Sign in to Tvarka Sign and upload the container: the existing signatures stay in place and you add your own qualified signature.
You reach the wizard after signing in with your electronic signature – this way the document is signed by a person with a verified identity.